Wheat variety XW14A

ABSTRACT

A wheat variety designated XW14A, the plants and seeds of wheat variety XW14A, methods for producing a wheat plant produced by crossing the variety XW14A with another wheat plant, and hybrid wheat seeds and plants produced by crossing the variety XW14A with another wheat line or plant, and the creation of variants by backcrossing, mutagenesis or transformation of variety XW14A are disclosed. Methods for producing other wheat varieties or breeding lines derived from wheat variety XW14A and to wheat varieties or breeding lines produced by those methods are also provided.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention is in the field of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) breeding,specifically relating to a wheat variety designated XW14A.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

There are numerous steps involving significant intervention in thedevelopment of any novel, desirable plant germplasm. The goal is tocombine in a single variety an improved combination of desirable traitsfrom the parental germplasm. These traits may include, but are notlimited to, higher seed yield, resistance to diseases and/or insects,tolerance to drought and/or heat, altered milling properties, abioticstress tolerance, improvements in compositional traits, and betteragronomic characteristics.

Wheat is grown worldwide and is the most widely adapted cereal. Thereare five main wheat market classes. They include the four common wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) classes: hard red winter, hard red spring, softred winter, and white (hard and soft). The fifth class is durum(Triticum turgidum L.). Common wheats are used in a variety of foodproducts such as bread, cookies, cakes, crackers, and noodles. Ingeneral the hard wheat classes are milled into flour used for breads andthe soft wheat classes are milled into flour used for pastries andcrackers. Wheat starch is also used in the paper industries, as laundrystarches, and in other products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Seeds of the wheat variety XW14A are provided. Also provided are plantsproduced by growing the seed of the wheat variety XW14A, as well as thederivatives of such plants. Further provided are plant parts, includingcells, plant protoplasts, plant cells of a tissue culture from whichwheat plants can be regenerated, plant calli, plant clumps, and plantcells that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such as leaves,stems, roots, root tips, anthers, pistils, seed, grain, pericarp,embryo, pollen, ovules, cotyledon, hypocotyl, spike, floret, awn, lemma,shoot, tissue, petiole, cells, and meristematic cells, and the like.

In a further aspect, a composition comprising a seed of wheat varietyXW14A comprised in plant seed growth media is provided. The plant seedgrowth media can be, for example, a soil or synthetic cultivationmedium. The growth medium may be comprised in a container or may, forexample, be soil in a field. Plant seed growth media are well known tothose of skill in the art and include, but are in no way limited to,soil or synthetic cultivation medium. Advantageously, plant seed growthmedia can provide adequate physical support for seeds and can retainmoisture and/or nutritional components. Examples of characteristics forsoils that may be desirable in certain embodiments can be found, forinstance, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,932,166 and 4,707,176. Synthetic plantcultivation media include those known in the art and may, for example,comprise polymers or hydrogels. Examples of such compositions aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,537.

A tissue culture of regenerable cells of the wheat variety XW14A isprovided, as well as plants and plant parts regenerated therefrom,wherein the regenerated wheat plant is capable of expressing all thephysiological and morphological characteristics of a plant grown fromthe wheat seed designated XW14A.

A wheat plant comprising a locus conversion or single locus conversionof the wheat variety XW14A, wherein the wheat plant is otherwise capableof expressing all the physiological and morphological, or phenotypic,characteristics of the wheat variety XW14A is provided. The locusconversion may comprise, for example, a transgenic gene which has beenintroduced by genetic transformation into the wheat variety XW14A or aprogenitor thereof. The locus conversion may, for example, comprise adominant or recessive allele or a genetic modification introduced bymanipulation of the plant genome. The locus conversion may conferpotentially any trait upon the converted plant, including, but notlimited to, herbicide resistance, insect resistance, resistance tobacterial, fungal, or viral disease, male fertility or sterility,abiotic stress, altered phosphorus content, altered antioxidants,altered essential amino acids, and altered nutritional quality, such asaltered starch, sugars, non-digestible carbohydrate, protein, oil orfatty acids. The altered trait can be compared to a wheat variety XW14Anot comprising the locus conversion.

Wheat plants are provided which comprise a transgene or geneticmodification and which were produced by transforming or modifying theplant, plant part, seed or cell of wheat variety XW14A, or which had thetransgene or the genetic modification introgressed throughback-crossing.

Methods for producing a wheat plant are provided in which plant breedingtechniques are applied to a wheat plant grown from seed of wheat varietyXW14A comprising a locus conversion, or to a plant grown from seed of across of such a wheat plant to a different wheat plant.

First generation (F1) hybrid wheat seed produced by crossing a plant ofthe wheat variety XW14A to a second wheat plant are provided. Alsoprovided are the F1 hybrid wheat plants grown from the hybrid seedproduced by crossing the wheat variety XW14A to a second wheat plant.Still further provided are the seeds of an F1 hybrid plant produced withthe wheat variety XW14A as one parent, the second generation (F2) hybridwheat plant grown from the seed of the F1 hybrid plant, and the seeds ofthe F2 hybrid plant.

Methods of producing wheat seeds are provided which comprise crossing aplant of the wheat variety XW14A to any second wheat plant, includingitself or another plant of the variety XW14A. For example, the method ofcrossing can comprise the steps of: (a) planting seeds of the wheatvariety XW14A; (b) cultivating wheat plants resulting from said seedsuntil said plants bear flowers; (c) allowing fertilization of theflowers of said plants; and (d) harvesting seeds produced from saidplants.

A method of producing hybrid wheat seeds is provided which comprisescrossing the wheat variety XW14A to a second, distinct wheat plant thatis nonisogenic to the wheat variety XW14A. For example, the crossing cancomprise the steps of: (a) planting seeds of wheat variety XW14A and asecond, distinct wheat plant, (b) cultivating the wheat plants grownfrom the seeds until the plants bear flowers; (c) cross pollinating aflower on one of the two plants with the pollen of the other plant, and(d) harvesting the seeds resulting from the cross pollinating.

A method for developing a wheat plant in a wheat breeding program isprovided comprising: (a) obtaining or providing a wheat plant, or itsparts, of the variety XW14A; and (b) employing said plant or parts as asource of breeding material in a plant breeding program such as usingplant breeding techniques. In the method, the plant breeding techniquesmay be selected, for example, from recurrent selection, mass selection,bulk selection, backcrossing, pedigree breeding, genetic marker-assistedselection and genetic transformation. The wheat plant of variety XW14Amay be used as the male or female parent.

A method of producing a wheat plant derived from the wheat variety XW14Ais provided, the method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a progenyplant derived from wheat variety XW14A by crossing a plant of the wheatvariety XW14A with a second wheat plant; and (b) crossing the progenyplant with itself or a second plant to produce a progeny plant of asubsequent generation which is derived from a plant of the wheat varietyXW14A. Optionally, the method may further comprise: (c) crossing theprogeny plant of a subsequent generation with itself or a second plant;and (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for at least, for example 2, 3, 4 ormore additional generations to produce an inbred wheat plant derivedfrom the wheat variety XW14A. Also provided is a plant produced by thisand other methods described herein.

A method of producing a wheat plant derived from the wheat variety XW14Acan, for example, further comprise: (a) crossing the wheat varietyXW14A-derived wheat plant with itself or another wheat plant to yieldadditional wheat variety XW14A-derived progeny wheat seed; (b) growingthe progeny wheat seed of step (a) under plant growth conditions toyield additional wheat variety XW14A-derived wheat plants; and (c)repeating the crossing and growing steps of (a) and (b) to generatefurther wheat variety XW14A-derived wheat plants. Steps (a) and (b) canbe repeated if desired at least 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 or more times. Alsoprovided is a wheat plant produced by this and other methods describedherein.

Methods for producing double haploid wheat plants from wheat varietyXW14A are provided. For example, a wheat plant produced by growing aseed of the cross of wheat variety XW14A with a different wheat plant orplant part can be crossed with another plant to form haploid cells. Thechromosomes of the haploid cells can be doubled to form double haploidcells which are grown into a double haploid wheat plant or plant part.Haploid seed generated from a cross of a wheat plant disclosed hereinwith a different wheat plant can be doubled to produce a wheat planthaving doubled haploid chromosomes.

Methods for cleaning, conditioning, or applying a seed treatment to theseed of wheat variety XW14A are provided.

Methods of milling the seed of wheat variety XW14A and the flourproduced from such milling are provided. The flour may include a cell ofwheat variety XW14A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive wheat (Triticumaestivum L.) variety designated XW14A, its seeds, plants, plant partsand hybrids. Variety XW14A represents a significant advancement in elitegermplasm.

Also provided are methods for making XW14A that comprise crossing wheatvariety XW14A with another wheat plant and processes for making a wheatplant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressedinto XW14A through backcross conversion and/or transformation or geneticmodification, and to the wheat seed, plant and plant parts producedthereby. Variants of wheat XW14A created by mutagenesis ortransformation, such as genetic modification, as well as a hybrid wheatseed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety XW14A or alocus conversion of XW14A with another wheat variety are also provided.

Wheat variety XW14A has shown uniformity and stability for all traits,as described in the variety description information provided herein. Ithas been self-pollinated a sufficient number of generations, withcareful attention to uniformity of plant type to ensure homozygosity andphenotypic stability. The line has been increased with continuedobservation for uniformity. No variant traits have been observed or areexpected in XW14A, as described, for example, in Table 5 at the end ofthis section.

Field crops are bred through techniques that take advantage of theplant's method of pollination, such as self-pollination, sib-pollinationor cross-pollination. As used herein, the term cross-pollinationincludes pollination with pollen from a flower on a different plant froma different family or line and does not include self-pollination orsib-pollination. Wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.), are recognized tobe naturally self-pollinated plants which, while capable of undergoingcross-pollination, rarely do so in nature. Thus intervention for controlof pollination is needed for the establishment of superior varieties.

Provided are methods of producing progeny with a new combination ofgenetic traits by cross pollinating one wheat plant with another byemasculating flowers of a designated female plant and pollinating thefemale parent with pollen from the designated male parent. Suitablemethods of cross-pollination of wheat plants are described, for example,in U.S. Pat. No. 8,809,654, which is herein incorporated by reference,but other methods can be used, or modified, as is known to those skilledin the art.

A cross between two different homozygous lines produces a uniformpopulation of hybrid plants that may be heterozygous for many gene loci.A cross of two heterozygous plants each that differ at a number of geneloci will produce a population of plants that differ genetically andwill not be uniform. Regardless of parentage, plants that have beenself-pollinated and selected for type for many generations becomehomozygous at almost all gene loci and produce a uniform population oftrue breeding progeny. The term “homozygous plant” is hereby defined asa plant with homozygous genes at 95% or more of its loci.

Choice of breeding or selection methods depends on the mode of plantreproduction, the heritability of the trait(s) being improved, and thetype of variety used commercially (e.g., F1 hybrid variety, purelinevariety, etc.). For highly heritable traits, a choice of superiorindividual plants evaluated at a single location will be effective,whereas for traits with low heritability, selection can be based on meanvalues obtained from replicated evaluations of families of relatedplants. Popular selection methods which can be used include pedigreeselection, modified pedigree selection, mass selection, and recurrentselection.

The complexity of inheritance influences choice of the breeding method.For example, pedigree breeding, backcross breeding, single seed descent,and bulk breeding, which are each described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,809,654(incorporated herein by reference), can be used. Each wheat breedingprogram may include a periodic, objective evaluation of the efficiencyof the breeding procedure. Evaluation criteria vary depending on thegoal and objectives, but may include gain from selection per year basedon comparisons to an appropriate standard, overall value of the advancedbreeding lines, and number of successful varieties produced per unit ofinput (e.g., per year, per dollar expended, etc.).

Various recurrent selection techniques can be used to improvequantitatively inherited traits controlled by numerous genes. The use ofrecurrent selection in self-pollinating crops depends on the ease ofpollination and the number of hybrid offspring from each successfulcross. Recurrent selection can be used to improve populations of eitherself- or cross-pollinated crops. A genetically variable population ofheterozygous individuals is either identified or created byintercrossing several different parents. The best plants are selectedbased on individual superiority, outstanding progeny, or excellentcombining ability. The selected plants are intercrossed to produce a newpopulation in which further cycles of selection are continued. Plantsfrom the populations can be selected and selfed to create new varieties.

Wheat variety XW14A can be used as the female or the male parent inbiparental crosses in order to develop new and valuable wheat varietiesor hybrids. Wheat normally self-pollinates in nature. Cross pollinationof one wheat plant with another to produce progeny with a newcombination of genetic traits, can be carried out according to methodsknown to those skilled in the art. Wheat cross-pollination is achievedby emasculating flowers of a designated female plant and pollinating thefemale parent with pollen from the designated male parent. Methods ofcross-pollinating wheat plants for use in selection and advancement aredescribed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 9,282,712, the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Plant breeding methods may include analysis, comparison andcharacterization of the plant genome and the use of molecular markers,including techniques such as Starch Gel Electrophoresis, IsozymeElectrophoresis, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs),Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), Arbitrarily PrimedPolymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR), DNA Amplification Fingerprinting(DAF), Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCARs), AmplifiedFragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs), Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs),Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL)mapping.

Molecular markers can also be used during the breeding process for theselection of qualitative traits. For example, markers closely linked toalleles or markers containing sequences within the actual alleles ofinterest can be used to select plants that contain the alleles ofinterest during a crossing or backcrossing breeding program. The markerscan also be used to select for the genome of the recurrent parent andagainst the markers of the donor parent. Using this procedure canminimize the amount of genome from the donor parent that remains in theselected plants. It can also be used to reduce the number of crossesback to the recurrent parent needed in a backcrossing program.

The production of double haploids can also be used for the developmentof homozygous lines in the breeding program and in the production of,for example, hybrid wheat using variety XW14A. Double haploids areproduced by the doubling of a set of chromosomes (1 N) from aheterozygous plant to produce a completely homozygous individual. Thiscan be advantageous because the process omits the generations of selfingneeded to obtain a homozygous plant from a heterozygous source. Hybridwheat can be produced, for example, in methods utilizing cytoplasmicmale sterility, nuclear genetic male sterility, chemicals, geneticmodification or a combination thereof.

Wheat variety XW14A can be crossed with one or more parental lines,followed by repeated selfing and selection, producing many new geneticcombinations. Selected germplasm can be grown under unique and differentgeographical, climatic and soil conditions with further selections beingmade during and at the end of the growing season.

Wheat varieties that are highly homogeneous, homozygous and reproducibleare useful as commercial varieties. There are many analytical methods,such as those described herein, which can be used to determine thehomozygotic stability, phenotypic stability, and identity of thesevarieties produced or derived from variety XW14A. Gel electrophoresis isparticularly useful in wheat. Wheat variety identification can occur,for example, through electrophoresis of gliadin, glutenin, albumin andglobulin, and total protein extracts.

Disclosed are plant breeding methods in which plant populations as wellas individual plants are evaluated for general health, agronomics, andstability at one or more stages. These evaluations can include, but arenot limited to, one or more of the following characteristics: plantarchitecture traits such as seedling coleoptile length, coleoptile color(presence of anthocyanin), juvenile plant growth habit, tillering, plantheight, straw strength or lodging, flag leaf carriage at boot stage,leaf width and length, glaucosity of stems, leaves and spikes,pubescence of leaves and spikes, spike shape, spike density, spikeawnedness, and plant color through-out stages of growth; plant growthcharacteristics, such as vernalization requirement, date for first stemjoint emergence, heading date, flowering date, physiological maturitydate and harvest maturity; tolerance to weather conditions, such as coldtolerance, resistance to heaving, tolerance to wet soils and standingwater, drought and heat tolerance; and grain characteristics, such asgrain yield, test weight, 1000 kernel weight, grain moisture, graincolor, grain shape, grain protein, flour milling yield and bakingcharacteristics.

During its development, wheat variety XW14A was assayed and/or plantedin field trials and evaluated for a variety of traits and/orcharacteristics as compared to check varieties. The property(s) ofappropriate check varieties include but are not limited to varietieswith a similar relative maturity, varieties known to be susceptible toone or more particular diseases, insect, pathogen, field condition,weather condition, soil type or condition, and/or crop managementpractice, varieties known to be tolerant or resistant to one or moreparticular diseases, insect, pathogen, field condition, weathercondition, soil type or condition, and/or crop management practice,varieties comprising one or more particular marker locus, and/orvarieties derived from another appropriate variety or having aparticular pedigree. Appropriate choice of check varieties forcomparison assures an appropriate baseline and valid qualitative orquantitative assessment of any test varieties.

In the development of XW14A, the plants can be tested for various traitsincluding, but not limited to grain yield, test weight, heading date,harvest maturity, plant height, straw strength, pre-harvest sprouttolerance, resistance levels to leaf rust, stripe rust, tan spot,Septoria tritici blotch, Stagnospora nodorum blotch, powdery mildew,Fusarium (scab), wheat yellow mosaic virus and soilborne mosaic virus,and grain characteristics such as flour yield, flour protein, and bakingcharacteristics.

Wheat variety XW14A, being substantially homozygous, can be reproducedby planting seeds of the line, growing the resulting wheat plants underself-pollinating or sib-pollinating conditions, and harvesting theresulting seed, using techniques familiar to the agricultural arts.

In one aspect, wheat plants, plant parts and seeds are provided whichhave all or essentially all of the characteristics set forth in Table 5.In one aspect wheat plants, plant parts and seeds are provided whichhave all or essentially all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of wheat variety XW14A, or all or essentially all of thephenotypic characteristics of wheat variety XW14A, representative seedhaving been deposited with the ATCC as disclosed herein.

Wheat variety XW14A can be further reproduced by tissue culture andregeneration. Tissue culture of various tissues of wheat andregeneration of plants therefrom is well known and widely published.Thus, in another aspect provided are cells which upon growth anddifferentiation produce wheat plants capable of having the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of wheat variety XW14A.

As used herein, the term “plant parts” includes, without limitation,plant protoplasts, plant cell tissue cultures from which wheat plantscan be regenerated, plant calli, plant clumps, plant cells, embryos,pollen, ovules, pericarp, seed, flowers, florets, heads, spikes, stems,stalks, leaves, roots, root tips, anthers, and the like. When indicatingthat a plant is crossed or selfed this indicates that any plant part ofthe plant can be used. For instance the plant part does not need to beattached to the plant during the crossing or selfing, only the pollenmight be used.

In one aspect, a wheat plant containing a locus conversion or anessentially derived variety of XW14A is provided. Essentially derivedvarieties may be obtained, for example, by the selection of a natural orinduced mutant, or of a somaclonal variant, the selection of a variantindividual from plants of the initial variety, backcrossing, ortransformation by genetic engineering, from the repeated use of varietyXW14A or being predominately derived from variety XW14A.

A locus conversion refers to plants within a variety that have beenmodified in a manner that retains the overall genetics of the varietyand further comprises one or more loci with a specific desired trait,such as male sterility, insect, disease or herbicide resistance.Examples of single locus conversions include mutant genes, transgenesand native traits finely mapped to a single locus. One or more locusconversion traits may be introduced into a single wheat variety.

Transgenes and transformation methods provide means to engineer thegenome of plants to contain and express heterologous genetic elements,including but not limited to foreign genetic elements, additional copiesof endogenous elements, and/or modified versions of native or endogenousgenetic elements, in order to alter at least one trait of a plant in aspecific manner. Any heterologous DNA sequence(s), whether from adifferent species or from the same species, which are inserted into thegenome using transformation, backcrossing, or other methods known to oneof skill in the art are referred to herein collectively as transgenes.The sequences are heterologous based on sequence source, location ofintegration, operably linked elements, or any combination thereof. Oneor more transgenes of interest can be introduced into wheat varietyXW14A.

In some examples, transgenic variants of wheat variety XW14A areproduced by introducing at least one transgene of interest into wheatvariety XW14A by transforming wheat variety XW14A with a polynucleotidecomprising the transgene of interest. In other examples, transgenicvariants of wheat variety XW14A are produced by introducing at least onetransgene by introgressing the transgene into wheat variety XW14A bycrossing.

In one example, a process for modifying wheat variety XW14A with theaddition of a desired trait, said process comprising transforming awheat plant of wheat variety XW14A with a transgene that confers adesired trait is provided. In other examples, the genome of wheatvariety XW14A is transformed by genetic modification using techniquesdescribed herein, such as the CRISPR/Cas system adapted for use inplants. Therefore, transgenic wheat variety XW14A cells, plants, plantparts, and seeds produced from this process are provided. In someexamples one or more desired traits may include traits such as herbicideresistance, insect resistance, disease resistance, decreased phytate,modified fatty acid profile, modified fatty acid content, carbohydratemetabolism, protein content, or oil content.

Numerous methods for plant transformation are known in the art,including biological, such as the use of Agrobacteria, and physical,such as biolistic and particle bombardment, plant transformationprotocols. In addition, expression vectors and in vitro culture methodsfor plant cell or tissue transformation and regeneration of plants suchas those known in the art can be used.

In general, methods to transform, modify, edit or alter plant endogenousgenomic DNA include altering the plant native DNA sequence or apre-existing transgenic sequence including regulatory elements, codingand non-coding sequences. These methods can be used, for example, totarget nucleic acids to pre-engineered target recognition sequences inthe genome. Such pre-engineered target sequences may be introduced bygenetic transformation such as genome editing or modification. As anexample, a genetically modified plant variety can be generated using“custom” or engineered endonucleases such as meganucleases produced tomodify plant genomes (see e.g., WO 2009/114321; Gao et al. (2010) PlantJournal 1:176-187). Another site-directed engineering method is throughthe use of zinc finger domain recognition coupled with the restrictionproperties of restriction enzyme. See e.g., Urnov, et al., (2010) NatRev Genet. 11(9):636-46; Shukla, et al., (2009) Nature 459(7245):437-41. A transcription activator-like (TAL) effector-DNAmodifying enzyme (TALE or TALEN) is also used to engineer changes inplant genome. See e.g., US20110145940, Cermak et al., (2011) NucleicAcids Res. 39(12) and Boch et al., (2009), Science 326(5959): 1509-12.Site-specific modification of plant genomes can also be performed usingthe bacterial type II CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced shortpalindromic repeats)/Cas (CRISPR-associated) system. See e.g., Belhaj etal., (2013), Plant Methods 9: 39; The Cas9/guide RNA-based system allowstargeted cleavage of genomic DNA guided by a customizable smallnoncoding RNA in plants (see e.g., WO 2015026883A1, incorporated hereinby reference).

Plant transformation methods may involve the construction of anexpression vector. Such a vector or recombinant construct comprises aDNA sequence that contains a coding sequence, such as a protein and/orRNA coding sequence under the control of or operatively linked to aregulatory element, for example a promoter. The vector or construct maycontain one or more coding sequences and one or more regulatoryelements.

A genetic trait which has been engineered into the genome of aparticular wheat plant may then be moved into the genome of anothervariety using traditional breeding techniques that are well known in theplant breeding arts. For example, a backcrossing approach is commonlyused to move a transgene from a transformed wheat variety into an elitewheat variety, and the resulting backcross conversion plant would thencontain the transgene(s).

Various genetic elements can be introduced into the plant genome usingtransformation. These elements include, but are not limited to genes;coding sequences; inducible, constitutive, and tissue specificpromoters; enhancing sequences; and signal and targeting sequences.

Provided are plants genetically engineered or transformed to expressvarious phenotypes of agronomic interest. Expression of genes can bealtered to enhance disease resistance, insect resistance, herbicideresistance, agronomic, grain quality, and other traits relative to acomparable wheat plant that does not contain the transformed element orto a comparable non-transformed plant. Transformation can also be usedto insert DNA sequences which control or help control male-sterility.DNA sequences native to wheat as well as non-native DNA sequences can betransformed into the wheat plants described herein and used to alterlevels of native or non-native proteins. Various promoters, targetingsequences, enhancing sequences, and other DNA sequences can be insertedinto the genome for the purpose of altering the expression of proteins.Reduction or increase in the activity of specific genes by genetictransformation or modification can effect gene silencing, genesuppression or gene over expression in the plants described herein.

Many techniques for gene silencing are well known to one of skill in theart, including but not limited to, knock-outs, such as by insertion of atransposable element, antisense technology, (see U.S. Pat. Nos.5,107,065; 5,453,566; and 5,759,829), co-suppression, RNA interference,virus-induced gene silencing, hairpin structures, ribozymes,oligonucleotide-mediated targeted modification (see, e.g., WO03/076574and WO99/25853), Zn-finger targeted molecules (see, e.g., WO01/52620;WO03/048345; and WO00/42219), use of exogenously applied RNA (see, e.g.,US20110296556), and other methods known to those of skill in the art orcombinations of the above methods.

A genetic trait, engineered into a wheat plant using transformationtechniques can be transferred into another line using traditionalbreeding techniques that are well known in the plant breeding arts. Thewheat plants described herein can be the donor or the recipient of thetransformed genetic trait. For example, a backcrossing approach can beused to move a transgene from a transformed wheat plant to an elitewheat variety to provide resulting progeny comprising a transgene. Asused herein, “crossing” can refer to a simple X by Y cross, or theprocess of backcrossing, depending on the context. The term “breedingcross” excludes the processes of selfing or sibbing.

Transgenic or genetically modified wheat plants described herein can beharvested to produce a foreign or modified protein in commercialquantities. The foreign or modified protein can be extracted from atissue of interest, such as a seed, or from total biomass by knownmethods. The approximate chromosomal location of the integrated ormodified DNA molecule can be determined from a genetic map generated,for example, via conventional RFLP, PCR, and SSR analysis.

Particular markers used for these purposes may include any type ofmarker and marker profile which provides a means of distinguishingvarieties. A genetic marker profile can be used, for example, toidentify plants of the same variety or related varieties or to determineor validate a pedigree. In addition to being used for identification ofwheat variety XW14A and its plant parts, the genetic marker profile isalso useful in developing a locus conversion of variety XW14A.

Methods of isolating nucleic acids from wheat plants and methods forperforming genetic marker profiles using SNP and SSR polymorphisms arewell known in the art. SNPs are genetic markers based on a polymorphismin a single nucleotide. A marker system based on SNPs can be highlyinformative in linkage analysis relative to other marker systems in thatmultiple alleles may be present. Methods for analyzing polynucleotidesfrom plants, plant parts or seeds described herein may includecontacting a polynucleotide from the plant, plant part or seed, such asfrom wheat variety XW14A with a molecular marker or with modifiednucleotides that facilitate sequencing of the polynucleotide. Thepolynucleotide may be isolated, separated or otherwise obtained from theplant, plant part or seed. Modified nucleotides such as dNTPs may beincorporated with the polynucleotides along with appropriate primers ina reaction mixture that facilitates sequencing. Sequencing can be doneusing any method known in the art.

A method comprising isolating nucleic acids, such as DNA, from a plant,a plant part, plant cell or a seed of the wheat varieties disclosedherein is provided. The method can include mechanical, electrical and/orchemical disruption of the plant, plant part, plant cell or seed,contacting the disrupted plant, plant part, plant cell or seed with abuffer or solvent, to produce a solution or suspension comprisingnucleic acids, optionally contacting the nucleic acids with aprecipiting agent to precipitate the nucleic acids, optionallyextracting the nucleic acids, and optionally separating the nucleicacids such as by centrifugation or by binding to beads or a column, withsubsequent elution, or a combination thereof. If DNA is being isolated,an RNase can be included in one or more of the method steps. The nucleicacids isolated can comprise all or substantially all of the genomic DNAsequence, all or substantially all of the chromosomal DNA sequence orall or substantially all of the coding sequences (cDNA) of the plant,plant part, or plant cell from which they were isolated. The nucleicacids isolated can comprise all, substantially all, or essentially allof the genetic complement of the plant. The nucleic acids isolated cancomprise a genetic complement of the wheat variety. The amount and typeof nucleic acids isolated may be sufficient to permit whole genomesequencing of the plant from which they were isolated or chromosomalmarker analysis of the plant from which they were isolated.

The methods can be used to produce nucleic acids from the plant, plantpart, seed or cell, which nucleic acids can be, for example, analyzed toproduce data. The data can be recorded. The nucleic acids from thedisrupted cell, the disrupted plant, plant part, plant cell or seed orthe nucleic acids following isolation or separation can be contactedwith primers and nucleotide bases, and/or a polymerase to facilitate PCRsequencing or marker analysis of the nucleic acids. In some examples,the nucleic acids produced can be sequenced or contacted with markers toproduce a genetic profile, a molecular profile, a marker profile, ahaplotype, or any combination thereof. In some examples, the geneticprofile or nucleotide sequence is recorded on a computer readablemedium. In other examples, the methods may further comprise using thenucleic acids produced from plants, plant parts, plant cells or seeds ina plant breeding program, for example in making crosses, selectionand/or advancement decisions in a breeding program. Crossing includesany type of plant breeding crossing method, including but not limited tocrosses to produce hybrids, outcrossing, selfing, backcrossing, locusconversion, introgression and the like.

Favorable genotypes and or marker profiles, optionally associated with atrait of interest, may be identified by one or more methodologies. Insome examples one or more markers are used, including but not limited toAFLPs, RFLPs, ASH, SSRs, SNPs, indels, padlock probes, molecularinversion probes, microarrays, sequencing, and the like. In somemethods, a target nucleic acid is amplified prior to hybridization witha probe. In other cases, the target nucleic acid is not amplified priorto hybridization, such as methods using molecular inversion probes (see,for example Hardenbol et al. (2003) Nat Biotech 21:673-678). In someexamples, the genotype related to a specific trait is monitored, whilein other examples, a genome-wide evaluation including but not limited toone or more of marker panels, library screens, association studies,microarrays, gene chips, expression studies, or sequencing such aswhole-genome resequencing and genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) may beused. In some examples, no target-specific probe is needed, for exampleby using sequencing technologies, including but not limited tonext-generation sequencing methods (see, for example, Metzker (2010) NatRev Genet 11:31-46; and, Egan et al. (2012) Am J Bot 99:175-185) such assequencing by synthesis (e.g., Roche 454 pyrosequencing, Illumina GenomeAnalyzer, and Ion Torrent PGM or Proton systems), sequencing by ligation(e.g., SOLiD from Applied Biosystems, and Polnator system from AzcoBiotech), and single molecule sequencing (SMS or third-generationsequencing) which eliminate template amplification (e.g., Helicossystem, and PacBio RS system from Pacific BioSciences). Furthertechnologies include optical sequencing systems (e.g., Starlight fromLife Technologies), and nanopore sequencing (e.g., GridION from OxfordNanopore Technologies). Each of these may be coupled with one or moreenrichment strategies for organellar or nuclear genomes in order toreduce the complexity of the genome under investigation via PCR,hybridization, restriction enzyme (see, e.g., Elshire et al. (2011) PLoSONE 6:e19379), and expression methods. In some examples, no referencegenome sequence is needed in order to complete the analysis. VarietyXW14A and its plant parts can be identified through a molecular markerprofile. Such plant parts may be either diploid or haploid.

As described herein, genes or coding sequences can be expressed intransformed plants. More particularly, plants can be geneticallyengineered to express various phenotypes of agronomic interest. A singlegene or locus conversion or at least about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 30, 35 or 40 or moregenes or locus conversions and less than about 100, 90, 80, 70, 60, 50,40, 30, 20, 15, or 10 genes or locus conversions may be introduced intoa plant or comprised in the genome of the wheat plant. Combinations orstacks of two or more genes or coding sequences described herein can beused. Through the transformation of wheat the expression of genes can bemodulated to enhance disease resistance, insect resistance, herbicideresistance, water stress tolerance and agronomic traits as well as grainquality traits. These traits and the genes and organisms which may betargets are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,809,554, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety for this purpose. Transformation canalso be used to insert or modify DNA sequences which control or altermale-sterility. DNA sequences native to wheat can be modified as well asnative and non-native DNA sequences can be introduced into wheat andused to modulate levels of native or non-native proteins. The sequencesintroduced can be heterologous comprising a coding sequence operablylinked to a heterologous regulatory element, such as a promoter.

Exemplary genes which can be targeted include, but are not limited to,genes that confer resistance to pests such as Hessian fly, wheat stemsawfly, cereal leaf beetle, and/or green bug or disease, to pathogensCladosporium fulvum, Pseudomonas syringae, Fusarium graminearum Schwabe,wheat rusts, Septoria tritici, Septoria nodorum, powdery mildew,Helminthosporium diseases, smuts, bunts, Fusarium diseases, bacterialdiseases, and viral diseases.

Other genes, coding sequences or targets which can be used include thoseencoding Bacillus thuringiensis protein, a derivative thereof or asynthetic polypeptide modeled thereon. Examples of Bacillusthuringiensis transgenes encoding a endotoxin and being geneticallyengineered are given in the following patents and patent applicationsand hereby are incorporated by reference for this purpose: U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,188,960; 5,689,052; 5,880,275; 8,809,654; WO 91/14778; WO99/31248; WO 01/12731; WO 99/24581; WO 97/40162 and U.S. applicationSer. Nos. 10/032,717; 10/414,637; and Ser. No. 10/606,320.

Other genes, coding sequences or targets which can be used include thoseencoding an insect-specific hormone or pheromone such as an ecdysteroidand juvenile hormone, a variant thereof, a mimetic based thereon, or anantagonist or agonist thereof, an insect diuretic hormone receptor, suchas an allostatin (see also U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,317 incorporated hereinby reference for this purpose), an enzyme responsible for a hyperaccumulation of a monoterpene, a sesquiterpene, a steroid, hydroxamicacid, a phenylpropanoid derivative or another non-protein molecule withinsecticidal activity, an enzyme involved in the modification, includingthe post-translational modification, of a biologically active molecule,for example, a glycolytic enzyme, a proteolytic enzyme, a lipolyticenzyme, a nuclease, a cyclase, a transaminase, an esterase, a hydrolase,a phosphatase, a kinase, a phosphorylase, a polymerase, an elastase, achitinase and a glucanase, whether natural or synthetic; a molecule thatstimulates signal transduction, for example mung bean calmodulin cDNAclones and maize calmodulin cDNA clones; a hydrophobic peptide (see U.S.Pat. No. 5,580,852 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,914 incorporated herein byreference for this purpose); a membrane permease, a channel former or achannel blocker, for example, cropin-beta lytic peptide analogconferring Pseudomonas solanacearum; an insect-specific antibody or animmunotoxin derived therefrom, or a virus-specific antibody; adevelopmental-arrestive protein such as aendopolygalacturonase-inhibiting protein or a ribosome-inactivatinggene; genes involved in the Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) Responseand/or the pathogenesis related genes,

In some embodiments, coat protein-mediated resistance can be conferredin plants against one or more of alfalfa mosaic virus, cucumber mosaicvirus, tobacco streak virus, potato virus X, potato virus Y, tobaccoetch virus, tobacco rattle virus and tobacco mosaic virus. Suchresistance may be conferred using, for example, a viral-invasive proteinor a complex toxin derived therefrom.

In some embodiments, genes, coding sequences or targets which can beused include, without limitation, antifungal genes (see, for example, USPublication No: 20020166141 incorporated herein by reference for thispurpose); detoxification genes, such as for fumonisin, beauvericin,moniliformin and zearalenone and their structurally related derivatives(see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,931 incorporated herein byreference for this purpose); cystatin and cysteine proteinase inhibitors(see for example, US Patent Publication Serial No: 20050102717incorporated herein by reference for this purpose), defensin genes (seefor example, PCT Public WO03000863 and US Patent Publication Serial No:20030041348); and genes conferring resistance to nematodes, see forexample, WO 03/033651.

Genes, coding sequences, or targets that confer resistance to aherbicide are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,809,654, whichis incorporated by reference herein for this purpose. Examples includegenes or coding sequences encoding acetohydroxy acid synthase, achimeric protein of rat cytochrome P4507A1, yeast NADPH-cytochrome P450oxidoreductase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase,phosphotransferases, ALS and AHAS enzymes and other genes or codingsequences which confer resistance to a herbicide such as animidazalinone or a sulfonylurea (see also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,605,011;5,013,659; 5,141,870; 5,767,361; 5,731,180; 5,304,732; 4,761,373;5,331,107; 5,928,937; and 5,378,824; and international publication WO96/33270, each of which are incorporated herein by reference for thispurpose); Glyphosate or glufosinate resistance can also be conferredusing, for example, sequences encoding mutant5-enolpyruvl-3-phosphikimate synthase (EPSP), aroA genes,phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT), glyphosate oxido-reductaseenzyme, glyphosate N-acetyltransferase, glutamine synthetase,Streptomyces hygroscopicus phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (bar)genes), and pyridinoxy or phenoxy proprionic acids and cycloshexones(ACCase inhibitor-encoding genes). See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos.4,769,061, 4,975,374, 4,940,835, 5,776,760, 5,463,175, 5,627,061,6,566,587; 6,338,961; 6,248,876 B1; 6,040,497; 5,804,425; 5,633,435;5,145,783; 4,971,908; 5,312,910; 5,188,642; 4,940,835; 5,866,775;6,225,114 B1; 6,130,366; 5,310,667; 4,535,060; 4,769,061; 5,633,448;5,510,471; Re. 36,449; RE 37,287 E; and 5,491,288; US Patent PublicationNo. 20040082770 and international publications EP1173580; WO 01/66704;EP1173581 and EP1173582, EP 0 242 246 and EP 0 242 236, each of whichare incorporated herein by reference for this purpose. See also, U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,969,213; 5,489,520; 5,550,318; 5,874,265; 5,919,675;5,561,236; 5,648,477; 5,646,024; 6,177,616; and 5,879,903, each of whichare incorporated herein by reference for this purpose.

Triazine resistance can be conferred using, for example, psbA and gs+genes, sequences encoding a benzonitrile (nitrilase gene) such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,648 incorporated herein by referencefor this purpose.

Resistance to herbicides which target Protoporphyrinogen oxidase(protox) can also be conferred such resistance being described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,288,306, 6,282,837, 5,767,373 and international publicationWO 01/12825 the disclosures of each of which are herein incorporated byreference for this purpose.

Genes, coding sequences, or targets that confer or improve grain qualityinclude, without limitation, altered fatty acids (for example, oleic,linoleic, linolenic), altered phosphorus content (for example, usingphytase), altered carbohydrates such as modulating the branching patternof starch or altering thioredoxin, Bacillus subtilis levansucrase gene,Bacillus licheniformis alpha-amylase, tomato invertase, alpha-amylasegene, starch branching enzyme II, UDP-D-xylose 4-epimerase, Fragile 1and 2, Ref1, HCHL, C4H, high oil seed such as by modification of starchlevels (AGP). Fatty acid modification genes mentioned above may also beused to affect starch content and/or composition through theinterrelationship of the starch and oil pathways, altered content orcomposition of antioxidants such as tocopherol or tocotrienols, such asusing a phytl prenyl transferase (ppt), or through alteration of ahomogentisate geranyl geranyl transferase (hggt). Genes, codingsequences, or targets that can be targets to confer or improve grainquality are disclosed in, for example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,809,654,6,787,683, 6,531,648, 6,423,886, 6,232,529, 6,197,561, 6,825,397, USPatent Publication Nos. 2003/0079247, US2003/0204870, US2004/0034886international PCT publications WO 02/42424, WO 98/22604, WO 03/011015,WO02/057439, WO03/011015, WO 99/10498, WO 00/68393, and WO 03/082899.

Genes, coding sequences or targets for altered essential seed aminoacids, such as one or more of lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophanor altered sulfur amino acid content are also provided, can be used inthe methods and plants described herein and are described in, forexample, U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,809,654, 6,803,498, 6,127,600, 6,194,638,6,346,403, 6,080,913, 5,990,389, 5,939,599, 5,912,414, 5,850,016,5,885,802, 5,885,801, 5,633,436, 5,559,223, 6,664,445, 6,459,019,6,194,638, 6,399,859, 6,441,274, international PCT applicationsWO99/40209, WO99/29882, WO98/20133, WO96/01905, WO98/56935, WO98/45458,WO98/42831, WO95/15392, WO01/79516, WO00/09706, and US Publication Nos.US2003/0150014, US2003/0163838, US2004/0068767, and US2004/0025203, thedisclosures of each of which are herein incorporated by reference intheir entirety for these purposes.

Genes, coding sequences or targets that control or alter male sterilityand methods for conferring male sterility and male sterile plants areprovided. There are several methods of conferring genetic male sterilityavailable, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,809,654, 4,654,465 and4,727,219, 3,861,709, 3,710,511, 5,432,068, the disclosures of each ofwhich are herein incorporated by reference for this purpose. Foradditional examples of nuclear male and female sterility systems andgenes, see also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,341; U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,426; U.S.Pat. No. 5,478,369; U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,524; U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,014;and U.S. Pat. No. 6,265,640; each of which are hereby incorporated byreference for this purpose.

Genes, coding sequences or targets that create a site for site specificDNA integration can also be used such as the introduction of FRT sitesthat may be used in the FLP/FRT system and/or Lox sites that may be usedin the Cre/Loxp system. Other systems that may be used include the Ginrecombinase of phage Mu, the Pin recombinase of E. coli, and the R/RSsystem of the pSR1 plasmid.

Genes that affect abiotic stress resistance (including but not limitedto flowering, ear and seed development, enhancement of nitrogenutilization efficiency, altered nitrogen responsiveness, droughtresistance or tolerance, cold resistance or tolerance, and saltresistance or tolerance) and increased yield under stress are provided.For example, see: U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,809,654, 5,892,009, 5,965,705,5,929,305, 5,891,859, 6,417,428, 6,664,446, 6,706,866, 6,717,034,6,801,104, 6,177,275, 6,107,547, 6,084,153, US Patent Publication Nos.2004/0148654, 2004/0237147, 2003/0166197, 2004/0128719, 2004/0098764,2004/0078852, international PCT application WO2000060089, WO2001026459,WO2001035725, WO 00/73475; WO2001034726, WO2001035727, WO2001036444,WO2001036597, WO2001036598, WO2002015675, WO2002017430, WO2002077185,WO2002079403, WO2003013227, WO2003013228, WO2003014327, WO2004031349,WO2004076638, WO9809521, WO01/36596 and WO9938977, WO2000/006341,WO04/090143, WO0202776, WO2003052063, WO0164898, and WO200032761, thedisclosures of each of which are herein incorporated by reference in itsentirety for this purpose.

Other genes and transcription factors that affect plant growth andagronomic traits such as yield, flowering, plant growth and/or plantstructure, can be introduced or introgressed into plants, see e.g.WO97/49811 (LHY), WO98/56918 (ESD4), WO97/10339 and U.S. Pat. No.6,573,430 (TFL), U.S. Pat. No. 6,713,663 (FT), WO96/14414 (CON),WO96/38560, WO01/21822 (VRN1), WO00/44918 (VRN2), WO99/49064 (GI),WO00/46358 (FRI), WO97/29123, U.S. Pat. No. 6,794,560, U.S. Pat. No.6,307,126 (GAI), WO99/09174 (D8 and Rht), and WO2004076638 andWO2004031349 (transcription factors), the disclosures of each of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

Genes that confer agronomic enhancements, nutritional enhancements, orindustrial enhancements can also be used. Such genes are described forexample in U.S. Pat. No. 8,809,654, the disclosure of which is hereinincorporated by reference in for this purpose. Such enhancementsinclude, without limitation, improved tolerance to water stress fromdrought or high salt water condition. See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,981,842,5,780,709, international patent applications WO 92/19731, WO 92/19731the disclosures of each of which is herein incorporated by reference forthis purpose.

In some embodiments, methods of treating XW14A with a mutagen and theplant produced by mutagenesis of XW14A are provided. Backcrossconversions of wheat variety XW14A are also described. A backcrossconversion occurs when modified or non-native DNA sequences areintroduced through traditional (non-transformation) breeding techniques,such as backcrossing. DNA sequences, whether naturally occurring,modified or transgenes, may be introduced using these traditionalbreeding techniques. Desired traits transferred through this processinclude, but are not limited to, nutritional enhancements, industrialenhancements, disease resistance, insect resistance, herbicideresistance, agronomic enhancements, grain quality enhancement, waxystarch, breeding enhancements, seed production enhancements, and malesterility. Descriptions of some of the cytoplasmic male sterility genes,nuclear male sterility genes, chemical hybridizing agents, malefertility restoration genes, and methods of using the aforementioned arediscussed in “Hybrid Wheat by K.A. Lucken (pp. 444-452 In Wheat andWheat Improvement, ed. Heyne, 1987). Examples of genes for other traitswhich can be used with the methods, plants and plant parts describedherein include: Leaf rust resistance genes (Lr series such as Lr1, Lr10,Lr21, Lr22, Lr22a, Lr32, Lr37, Lr41, Lr42, and Lr43), Fusarium headblight-resistance genes (QFhs.ndsu-3B and QFhs.ndsu-2A), Powdery Mildewresistance genes (Pm21), common bunt resistance genes (Bt-10), and wheatstreak mosaic virus resistance gene (Wsm1), Russian wheat aphidresistance genes (Dn series such as Dn1, Dn2, Dn4, Dn5), Black stem rustresistance genes (Sr38), Yellow rust resistance genes (Yr series such asYr1, YrSD, Yrsu, Yr17, Yr15, YrH52), aluminum tolerance genes (Alt(BH)),dwarf genes (Rht), vernalization genes (Vrn), Hessian fly resistancegenes (H9, H10, H21, H29), grain color genes (R/r), glyphosateresistance genes (EPSPS), glufosinate genes (bar, pat) and water stresstolerance genes (Hva1, mtlD). The trait of interest is transferred fromthe donor parent to the recurrent parent, in this case, the wheat plantdisclosed herein. Single gene traits, whether naturally occurring,induced by mutation or genetically altered, may result from either thetransfer of a dominant allele or a recessive allele. Selection ofprogeny containing the trait of interest is done by direct selection fora trait associated with a dominant allele. Selection of progeny for atrait that is transferred via a recessive allele requires growing andselfing the first backcross to determine which plants carry therecessive alleles. Recessive traits may require additional progenytesting in successive backcross generations to determine the presence ofthe gene of interest.

Methods of developing a backcross conversion XW14A wheat plant areprovided including the step of repeated backcrossing to wheat varietyXW14A. The number of backcrosses made may be 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 orgreater, and fewer than 50, 40, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 9, or 8. Thespecific number of backcrosses used will depend upon the genetics of thedonor parent and whether molecular markers are utilized in thebackcrossing program. Provided are plants and plant populations that areproduced from backcrossing methods, transformation, locus conversion, orotherwise produced, and combinations thereof and that retain at least70%, 75%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%,91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5%, 99.6%, 99.7%, 99.8%,or 99.9% or 99.95%, 99.98%, 99.985%, 99.99% or 99.995% of the geneticprofile of wheat variety XW14A. The percentage of the genetics retainedin the backcross conversion may be measured by either pedigree analysisor through the use of genetic techniques such as molecular markers orelectrophoresis. Such methods and techniques are described in U.S. Pat.No. 8,809,654, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated byreference for this purpose. The backcross conversion or locus conversiondeveloped from this method may be similar to XW14A for the resultslisted in Table 5. Such similarity may be measured by a side by sidephenotypic comparison, with differences and similarities determined at a5% significance level, when appropriate in environmental conditions thataccount for the trait being transferred. For example, herbicide shouldnot be applied in the phenotypic comparison of herbicide resistantbackcross conversion of XW14A when compared back to XW14A.

Described are methods for using wheat variety XW14A in plant breedingand plants and plant populations produced by such methods. For example,wheat variety XW14A can be crossed with another variety of wheat to forma first generation population of F1 plants. This first generationpopulation of F1 plants will comprise an essentially complete set of thealleles of wheat variety XW14A. Also provided are methods and plantswhich use transgenic or backcross conversions of wheat variety XW14A toproduce first generation F1 plants.

A method of developing a XW14A-progeny wheat plant comprising crossingXW14A with a second wheat plant and performing a breeding method is alsodescribed. An exemplary method for producing a line derived from wheatvariety XW14A is as follows. Wheat variety XW14A is crossed with anothervariety of wheat, such as an elite variety. The F1 seed derived fromthis cross is grown to form a homogeneous population. The F1 seedcontains one set of the alleles from variety XW14A and one set of thealleles from the other wheat variety. The F1 genome is 50% variety XW14Aand 50% of the other elite variety. The F1 seed is grown and allowed toself, thereby forming F2 seed. On average the F2 seed would have derived50% of its alleles from variety XW14A and 50% from the other wheatvariety, but various individual plants from the population can have amuch greater percentage of their alleles derived from XW14A. The F2 seedis grown and selection of plants made based on visual observation and/ormeasurement of traits. The XW14A-derived progeny that exhibit one ormore of the desired XW14A-derived traits are selected and each plant isharvested separately. This F3 seed from each plant is grown inindividual rows and allowed to self. Then selected rows or plants fromthe rows are harvested and threshed individually. The selections basedon visual observation and/or measurements for desirable traits of theplants, such as one or more of the desirable XW14A-derived traits aremade. The process of growing and selection is repeated any number oftimes until a homozygous XW14A-derived wheat plant is obtained. Thehomozygous XW14A-derived wheat plant contains desirable traits derivedfrom wheat variety XW14A, some of which may not have been expressed bythe other original wheat variety to which wheat variety XW14A wascrossed and some of which may have been expressed by both wheatvarieties but now would be at a level equal to or greater than the levelexpressed in wheat variety XW14A. The homozygous XW14A-derived wheatplants have, on average, 50% of their genes derived from wheat varietyXW14A, but various individual plants from the population would have amuch greater percentage of their alleles derived from XW14A. Thebreeding process, of crossing, selfing, and selection may be repeated toproduce another population of XW14A-derived wheat plants with, onaverage, 25% of their genes derived from wheat variety XW14A, and withvarious individual plants from the population having a much greaterpercentage of their alleles derived from XW14A. Homozygous XW14A-derivedwheat plants that have received XW14A-derived traits are also provided.

In some instances, selection may or may not occur at every selfinggeneration, selection may occur before or after the actualself-pollination process occurs, or individual selections may be made byharvesting individual spikes, plants, rows or plots at any point duringthe breeding process described herein. In addition, double haploidbreeding methods may be used at any step in the process. In one aspect,the population of plants produced at each and any generation of selfing,each such population consisting of plants containing approximately 50%of its genes from wheat variety XW14A, 25% of its genes from wheatvariety XW14A in the second cycle of crossing, selfing, and selection,12.5% of its genes from wheat variety XW14A in the third cycle ofcrossing, selfing, and selection, and so on.

Also disclosed are methods of obtaining a homozygous XW14A-derived wheatplant by crossing wheat variety XW14A with another variety of wheat andapplying double haploid methods to the F1 seed or F1 plant or to anygeneration of XW14A-derived wheat obtained by the selfing of this cross.

Still further, methods for producing XW14A-derived wheat plants areprovided by crossing wheat variety XW14A with a wheat plant and growingthe progeny seed, and repeating the crossing or selfing along with thegrowing steps with the XW14A-derived wheat plant from 1 to 2 times, 1 to3 times, 1 to 4 times, or 1 to 5 times. Thus, any and all methods usingwheat variety XW14A in breeding, including selfing, pedigree breeding,backcrossing, hybrid production and crosses to populations are provided.Unique starch profiles, molecular marker profiles and/or breedingrecords can be used to identify the progeny lines or populations derivedfrom these breeding methods.

Also disclosed are methods of harvesting the grain of variety wheatvariety XW14A and using the grain as seed for planting. Embodimentsinclude cleaning the seed, treating the seed, and/or conditioning theseed. Cleaning the seed includes removing foreign debris such as weedseed and removing chaff, plant matter, from the seed. Conditioning theseed can include controlling the temperature and rate of dry down andstoring seed in a controlled temperature environment. Seed treatment isthe application of a composition to the seed such as a coating orpowder. Seed material can be treated, typically surface treated, with acomposition comprising combinations of chemical or biologicalherbicides, herbicide safeners, pesticides, insecticides, fungicides,nutrients, germination inhibitors, germination promoters, cytokinins,nutrients, plant growth regulators, antimicrobials, and activators,bactericides, nematicides, avicides, or molluscicides. These compoundsare typically formulated together with further carriers, surfactants orapplication-promoting adjuvants customarily employed in the art offormulation. The coatings may be applied by impregnating propagationmaterial with a liquid formulation or by coating with a combined wet ordry formulation. Examples of the various types of compounds that may beused as seed treatments are provided in The Pesticide Manual: A WorldCompendium, C.D.S. Tomlin Ed., published by the British Crop ProductionCouncil. Some specific seed treatments that may be used on crop seedinclude, but are not limited to, abscisic acid, acibenzolar-S-methyl,avermectin, amitrol, azaconazole, azospirillum, azoxystrobin, bacillus,Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus simplex, Bacillus firmus, Bacillusamyloliquefaciens, Pasteuria genus (e.g. P. nishizawae), bradyrhizobium,captan, carboxin, chitosan, clothianidin, copper, cyazypyr,difenoconazole, etidiazole, fipronil, fludioxonil, fluquinconazole,flurazole, fluxofenim, GB126, Harpin protein, imazalil, imidacloprid,ipconazole, isofavenoids, lipo-chitooligosaccharide, mancozeb,manganese, maneb, mefenoxam, metalaxyl, metconazole, PCNB, penflufen,penicillium, penthiopyrad, permethrine, picoxystrobin, prothioconazole,pyraclostrobin, rynaxypyr, S-metolachlor, saponin, sedaxane, TCMTB,tebuconazole, thiabendaxole, thiamethoxam, thiocarb, thiram,tolclofos-methyl, triadimenol, trichoderma, trifloxystrobin,triticonazole and/or zinc.

Seed varieties and seeds with specific genetic resistance traits can betested to determine which seed treatment options and application rateswill complement such varieties and genetic resistance traits in order toenhance yield. For example, a variety with good yield potential butloose smut susceptibility will benefit from the use of a seed treatmentthat provides protection against loose smut. Likewise, a varietyencompassing a genetic resistance trait conferring insect resistancewill benefit from the second mode of action conferred by the seedtreatment. Further, the good root establishment and early emergence thatresults from the proper use of a seed treatment will result in moreefficient nitrogen use, a better ability to withstand drought and anoverall increase in yield potential of a variety or varieties containinga certain trait when combined with a seed treatment.

Wheat variety XW14A has traits and characteristics that distinguish itfrom other wheat varieties. A description of the traits used to measureor characterize a wheat variety such as variety XW14A and the scoringranges used for such traits are described below in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Description of traits and scores used. TRAIT DESCRIPTION & HOWSCORED HD DAT Heading Date in days past Jan. 1st); plot dated on the daywhen approximately 50% of the heads are 50% out of the boot HGTIN Height(inches or centimeters); scored with a measuring stick HGTCM after allgenotypes fully extended; wheat gathered around stick and averagedistance to the top of the heads is noted; 2-3 samplings per plot LF BLTLeaf Blight Complex; score based on amount of infection on flag and flag−1 leaves; typical scale: % of uninfected leaf surface area flag flag -19- 100% 100% 8- 100%  75% 7- 100%  50% 6- >90% <50% 5- 75-90% <25% 4-50-74% — 3- 23-49% — 2- 10-24% — 1- 0-9% — LF RST Leaf Rust; score basedon amount of infection evident on flag leaves; typical scale: 9 - clean8 - trace amounts 7 - <5% flag leaf area infected 6 - 6-10% ″ 5 - 11-20%″ 4 - 21-30% ″ 3 - 31-40% ″ 2 - 41-50% ″ 1 - over 50% ″ MAT Maturity;used on larger, earlier generation tests in the place of heading date;scale based on maturity of known checks and will vary from year to yearbased on when the note is taken; typical scale: 9 - very late, boot notswelling when note is taken 8 - still in boot when note is taken 7 -splitting boot, will head two days after note is taken 6 - will head dayafter the note is taken 5 - headed on the day note is taken 4 - headedday before note taken 3 - headed two days before note taken 2 - fullyextended, some flowering visible 1 - extended and flowering Maturity mayalso be scored at physiological maturity; typical scaler: 9- ready to beharvested 7- caryopse hard to divide 5- head yellowing an day note istaken 3- grain still at dough stage 1- head completely green PM PowderyMildew; score based on severity of infection and progression of thedisease up the plant; scale based on reaction of known checks withattention given to race changes; typical scale: 9 - clean 8 - traceamount low on plants 7 - slight infection mostly low on plants 6 -moderate infection low on plants; trace amounts on flag -1 leaves 5 -moderate infection low on plants, moderate amounts on flag -1 leaves 4 -moderate infection through canopy with trace amounts evident on flagleaves 3 - severe infection through canopy with up to 25% infection onflag leaves 2 - severe infection through canopy with up to 50% infectionon flag leaves 1 - severe infection; greater than 50% infection on flagleaves SB MV Soil Borne Mosaic Virus; score based on amount of mottling,chlorosis, and/or stunting; scale based on reaction of known checks;typical scale 1 - severe stunting to the point of rosettes 2 - severestunting 3 - very chlorotic with moderate stunting 4 - very chloroticwith mild stunting 5 - moderate mottling with no stunting 6 - mottlingevident 7 - mottling barely visible 8 - green, very little mottling 9 -green, no mottling visible SHTSC Shattering score. Scores are based onthe amount of grain that is visible in the spike just before harvest.9 - grain no visible in the spike, Glumes closed. 8 - Glumes slightlyopened in <10% of the grains. 7 - Glumes slightly opened in >10% of thegrains. 6 - Glumes moderately opened in <20% of the grains. 5 - Glumesmoderately opened in >20% of the grains. 4 - Glumes completely opened in<30% of the grains. 3 - Glumes completely opened in >30% of the grains.2 - 20%-50% of the grain on the soil 1 - >50% of the grain on the soil.SS MV Spindle Streak Mosaic Virus; score based on amount of mottling andchlorosis; scale based on reaction of known checks; scale similar to SSMV with less emphasis on stunting ST EDG Straw Lodging; score based onamount of lodging; typical scale: 9 - still upright 8 - only slightleaning 7 - some leaning, no lodging 6 - moderate leaning, littlelodging 5 - up to 10% lodged 4 - 11-25% lodged 3 - 26-50% lodged 2 -51-75% lodged 1 - greater than 75% lodged STPRST Stripe rust. Striperust is an important disease that occurs most often in Europe. Theinfection may only affect the flag leaf, or it may attack the entireplant including the head. Two scales based on level of infectionincluded below: Score based on the amount of infection of the wholeplant! 9 - clean 8 - traces 7 - <5% plant infected 6 - 10% plantinfected 5 - 20% plant infected 4 - 40% plant infected 3 - 60% plantinfected 2 - 60% plant infected head rusted 1 - Plant not able toproduce kernel Score based on the amount and type of infection evidenton flag leaves: 9 - clean 8 - trace amounts (Chlorotic-necroticfreckles) 7 - <5% flag leaf area infected 6 - 6-10% ″(chlorotic-necrotic stripes). 5 - 11-20% ″ (chlorotic-necrotic stripes).4 - 21-30% ″ (chlorotic-necrotic stripes). 3 - 31-40% ″(chlorotic-necrotic stripes). 2 - 41-50% ″ (some chlorosis). 1 - over50% ″ (no chlorosis). UNI Uniformity; used to determine how pure a lineis generally at the F7 (pre-advanced) generation; typical scale: 9 -very uniform in all aspects 8 - good uniformity 7 - fairly uniform, butsome off-types 6 - several off-types, but can be cleaned up with normalpurification procedures 5 - several off-types, will be a challenge toclean up with normal purification procedures 4 - considerable number ofoff-types; will need to be reselected to proceed as a pureline 3 - asmany as 25% off types; will need to be reselected 2 - as many as 50% offtypes; will need to be reselected 1 - more than 50% off types; what youhave here is a problem WNT- Winter Hardiness; score based on amount ofbrownback and HRD kill; best scored at time of early spring regrowth;typical scale: 9 - very green, no brown-back 8 - green, slightbrown-back 7 - moderate brown-back 6 - hard brown-back, no kill 5 - hardbrown-back with less than 10% kill 4 - 11-25% kill 3 - 26-50% kill 2 -51-75% kill 1 - greater than 75% kill SC AB Fusarium head scab; scorebased on visual evaluation of the percentage of scab infected heads on awhole plot basis with consideration given to both total heads affectedand severity of infection; typical scale: 9 - no scab infection 8 -trace amount (1-2%) with infections limited to individual spikelets 7 -up to 5% infection with most infection limited to less than 50% of thespike 6 - 5-15% of heads infected 5 - 15-30% of heads infected 4 -30-50% of heads infected 3 - 50-75% of heads infected 2 - 75-90% ofheads infected 1 - >90% of heads infected most genotypes scoring 5 orbelow would typically have the majority of the spike infected

It will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations may beapplied to the compositions and methods described herein and in thesteps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein withoutdeparting from the concept, spirit and scope of the invention. Morespecifically, it will be apparent that certain changes and modificationssuch as single gene conversions, including for example, modificationsand mutations, somoclonal variants, variant individuals selected fromlarge populations of the plants of the instant inbred and the like maybe practiced. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent tothose skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope andconcept of the invention.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and the arrangement ofcomponents set forth in the following description. Also, it is to beunderstood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for thepurpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The useof “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof hereinis meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalentsthereof as well as additional items.

It also is understood that any numerical range recited herein includesall values from the lower value to the upper value. For example, if aconcentration range is stated as 1% to 50%, it is intended that valuessuch as 2% to 40%, 10% to 30%, or 1% to 3%, etc., are expresslyenumerated in this specification. These are only examples of what isspecifically intended, and all possible combinations of numerical valuesbetween and including the lowest value and the highest value enumeratedare to be considered to be expressly stated in this application.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singularforms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the contentclearly dictates otherwise. It should also be noted that the term “or”is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the contentclearly dictates otherwise. All publications, patents and patentapplications are herein expressly incorporated by reference in theirentirety for all purposes to the same extent as if each individualpublication or patent application was specifically and individuallyincorporated by reference. In case of conflict between the presentdisclosure and the incorporated patents, publications and references,the present disclosure should control.

EXAMPLES Examples 1-12: Assays Performed to Develop XW14A

The following examples provide descriptions of several assays that canbe used to characterize and/or select a wheat variety during one or morestages of variety development. Other methods and assays are availableand can be used in combination with or instead of the examples providedherein. Tables 2-6 provide further information on wheat variety XW14Aproduced from at least one or more assays or methods described in thefollowing examples.

Example 1: Stripe Rust Screening

Stripe rust is a fungal leaf disease that is most common in themid-southern United States in the early spring. Significant levels ofthe disease can be found in some seasons anywhere in North America. Theinfection often mostly occurs on the flag leaf but it may attack theentire plant, including the head. Natural infection of plants in thefield may be rated visually using a 1-9 scale, where 1 indicatescomplete susceptibility and 9 indicates complete resistance. Some majorgenes for resistance may be detected using controlled seedling screeningexperiments inoculated with specific races of the pathogen. There arealso molecular markers for QTL linked to some specific resistance genes.

Example 2: Leaf Rust Screening

Leaf rust is a fungal leaf disease that is most common in the southernUnited States in the spring and early summer. Significant levels of thedisease can be found in most seasons anywhere in North America. Theinfection is most damaging when it occurs on the flag leaf but it mayattack the entire plant, including the head. Natural infection of plantsin the field may be rated visually using a 1-9 scale, where 1 indicatescomplete susceptibility and 9 indicates complete resistance. Some majorgenes for resistance may be detected using controlled seedling screeningexperiments inoculated with specific races of the pathogen. There arealso molecular markers for QTL linked to some specific resistance genes.

Example 3: Leaf Blight Screening

Fungal leaf blights, including Tan spot, Septoria tritici blotch, andStagnospora nodorum blotch, are common in much of the North Americanwheat growing regions. The infection is most damaging when it occurs onthe flag leaf but it may attack the entire plant, including the head.Natural infection of plants in the field may be rated visually using a1-9 scale, where 1 indicates complete susceptibility and 9 indicatescomplete resistance.

Example 4: Scab Screening

Fusarium head blight or scab is a fungal disease that is common in muchof the North American wheat growing regions. Infection occurs duringflowering and is most severe when conditions are wet, warm and remainhumid. The disease infects flowers on the spike and will spread toadjacent flowers, often infecting most of the developing kernels on thespike. Natural infection of plants in the field may be rated visuallyusing a 1-9 scale, where 1 indicates complete susceptibility and 9indicates complete resistance. Infection may be induced in controlledscreening experiments where spikes are inoculated with specific sporeconcentrations of the fungus by spraying the spikes at flowering orinjecting the inoculum directly into a flower on each spike. There arealso molecular markers for QTL linked to some specific resistance genes.

Example 5: Powdery Mildew Screening

Powdery mildew is a fungal leaf disease that is most common in thesouthern United States in the spring and early summer. Significantlevels of the disease can be found in many seasons anywhere in NorthAmerica. The infection is most damaging when it occurs on the flag leafbut it may attack the entire plant, including the head. Naturalinfection of plants in the field may be rated visually using a 1-9scale, where 1 indicates complete susceptibility and 9 indicatescomplete resistance. Some major genes for resistance may be detectedusing controlled seedling screening experiments inoculated with specificraces of the pathogen. There are also molecular markers for QTL linkedto some specific resistance genes.

Example 6: Soilborne Mosaic Virus Screening

Soilborne mosaic virus is transmitted by the vector, Polymyxa graminis,which tends to be most common in low-lying, wet soils; particularlythose frequently grown to wheat. Symptoms appear in the spring as lightgreen to yellow mottling along with stunting and resetting plant growthin the most susceptible varieties. Natural infection of plants in thefield may be rated visually using a 1-9 scale, where 1 indicatescomplete susceptibility and 9 indicates complete resistance. Higherlevels of natural infection can be induced for screening by plantingwheat annually in the same field to increase the vector level.

Example 7: Wheat Yellow (Spindle Streak) Mosaic Virus Screening

Wheat yellow virus is transmitted by the vector, Polymyxa graminis, andis most common during cool weather conditions in the spring. Symptomsappear as light green to yellow streaks and dashes parallel to the leafveins. Symptoms often fade prior to heading as weather conditions becomewarmer. Natural infection of plants in the field may be rated visuallyusing a 1-9 scale, where 1 indicates complete susceptibility and 9indicates complete resistance.

Example 8: Flour Yield Screening

The potential average flour yield of wheat can be determined on samplesof grain that has been cleaned to standard and tempered to uniformmoisture, using a test mill such as the Allis-Chalmers or Brabendermill. Samples are milled to established parameters, the flour siftedinto fractions, which are then weighed to calculate flour yield as apercentage of grain weight.

Flour yield “as is” is calculated as the bran weight (over 40 weight)subtracted from the grain weight, divided by grain weight and times 100to equal “as is” flour yield. Flour yield is calculated to a 15% grainmoisture basis as follows: flour moisture is regressed to predict thegrain moisture of the wheat when it went into the Quad Mill using theformulaInitial grain moisture=1.3429×(flour moisture)−4.The flour yields are corrected back to 15% grain moisture afterestimating the initial grain moisture using the formulaFlour Yield(₁₅%)=Flour Yield_((as is))−1.61%×(15%−Actual flour moisture)

Example 9: Flour Protein Screening

The protein content as a percentage of total flour may be estimated bythe Kjeldahl method or properly calibrated near-infrared reflectanceinstruments to determine the total nitrogen content of the flour.

Flour protein differences among cultivars can be a reliable indicator ofgenetic variation provided the varieties are grown together, but canvary from year to year at any given location. Flour protein from asingle, non-composite sample may not be representative. Based on theSoft Wheat Quality Laboratory grow-outs, protein can vary as much 1.5%for a cultivar grown at various locations in the same ½ acre field.

Example 10: Sucrose Solvent Retention Capacity (SRC)

The solvent retention capacity (SRC) of wheat flour measures the abilityof the flour to retain various solvents after centrifugation. SucroseSRC predicts the starch damage and pentosan components, and can becorrelated to sugar-snap cookie diameter quality metrics.

Sucrose SRC is a measure of arabinoxylans (also known as pentosans)content, which can strongly affect water absorption in baked products.Water soluble arabinoxylans are thought to be the fraction that mostgreatly increases sucrose SRC. Sucrose SRC a predictor of cookiequality, with sugar snap cookie diameters decreasing by 0.07 cm for eachpercentage point increase in sucrose SRC. The negative correlationbetween wire-cut cookie and sucrose SRC values is r=−0.66 (p<0.0001).Sucrose SRC typically increases in wheat samples with lower flour yield(r=−0.31) and lower softness equivalent (r=−0.23). The cross hydrationof gliadins by sucrose also causes sucrose SRC values to be correlatedto flour protein (r=0.52) and lactic acid SRC (r=0.62). Soft wheatflours for cookies typically have a target of 95% or less when used bythe US baking industry for biscuits and crackers. Sucrose SRC valuesincrease by 1% for every 5% increase in lactic acid SRC. The 95% targetvalue can be exceeded in flour samples where a higher lactic acid SRC isrequired for product manufacture since the higher sucrose SRC is due togluten hydration and not to swelling of the water soluble arabinoxylans.

Example 11: Lactic Acid SRC

Lactic Acid SRC=Lactic Acid Solvent Retention Capacity. Lactic acid SRCmeasures gluten strength. Typical values are below 85% for “weak” softvarieties and above 105% or 110% for “strong” gluten soft varieties. Seethe above discussion of protein quality in this section for additionaldetails of the lactic acid SRC. Lactic acid SRC results correlate to theSDS-sedimentation test. The lactic acid SRC is also correlated to flourprotein concentration, but the effect is dependent on genotypes andgrowing conditions. The SWQL typically reports a protein-correctedlactic acid SRC value to remove some of the inherent protein fluctuationnot due to cultivar genetics. Lactic acid is corrected to 9% proteinusing the assumption of a 7% increase in lactic acid SRC for every 1%increase in flour protein. On average across 2007 and 2008, the changein lactic acid SRC value was closer to 2% for every 1% protein.

Example 12: Molecular Screening

As shown in Table 5, plants were analyzed at various times throughoutthe development of XW14A for specific alleles for scab resistance. Asdiscussed above, and as is known to those skilled in the art, othertraits can also be screened by molecular analysis.

Example 13: Performance of XW14A

In the tables in this example, the traits and characteristics of wheatvariety XW14A are given in paired comparisons with another varietyduring the same growing conditions and same year. The data collected oneach wheat variety is presented for a number of characteristics andtraits (Table 2, Table 3, and Table 4).

TABLE 2 Agronomic trait paired comparisons of XW14A with one or moreother varieties during the period 2010-2015. Heading Grain Test DateWinter Plant Straw Yield Weight After hardiness Height Lodging Varietybu/ac lb/bu Jan 1 1-9@ cm 1-9@ 2011-15 XW14A 96.6 56.7 132.0 7.0 86.47.0 25R47 94.7 54.4 130.0 7.0 88.9 6.0 Locations 96 94 24 2 26 20 Reps.192 183 46 4 45 39 Prob. 0.0282 0.0000 0.0000 0.7952 0.0085 0.50522011-15 XW14A 95.8 56.9 125.0 7.0 86.4 7.0 25R32 91.3 57.2 124.0 5.088.9 6.0 Locations 76 75 18 2 21 15 Reps. 144 141 30 4 35 27 Prob.0.0000 0.0410 0.0000 0.2578 0.0000 0.0321 2011-15 XW14A 99.1 56.8 143.07.0 86.4 6.0 25R39 96.3 55.2 142.0 6.0 91.4 5.0 Locations 79 78 17 2 1814 Reps. 156 154 37 4 35 28 Prob. 0.0212 0.0000 0.0023 0.5000 0.00000.0177 @Scale of 1 - 9 where 9 = excellent or resistant, 1 = poor orsusceptible.

TABLE 3 Disease trait paired comparisons of XW14A with other varietiesduring the period 2010-2015. Leaf Leaf Stripe Powdery Rust Blight ScabRust Mildew BMV Variety 1-9@ 1-9@ 1-9@ 1-9@ 1-9@ 1-9@ 2011-15 XW14A 6.06.0 7.0 9.0 7.0 7.0 25R47 5.0 5.0 4.0 8.0 5.0 6.0 Locations 12 6 14 10 64 Reps. 19 13 27 15 10 7 Prob. 0.0177 0.0341 0.0000 0.0163 0.0284 0.13282011-15 XW14A 6.0 6.0 7.0 9.0 7.0 7.0 25R32 4.0 5.0 7.0 9.0 8.0 6.0Locations 12 4 11 10 6 3 Reps. 19 8 21 15 10 5 Prob. 0.0002 0.06890.1519 0.0522 0.2438 0.1835 2011-15 XW14A 5.0 6.0 6.0 9.0 7.0 7.0 25R395.0 5.0 4.0 9.0 7.0 6.0 Locations 5 2 12 5 3 3 Reps. 8 5 23 9 5 5 Prob.0.8757 0.1257 0.0000 0.3739 0.2254 0.2254 *Scale of 1-9 where 9 =excellent or resistant, 1 = poor or susceptible. **SBMV = Soil-borneMosaic Virus.

TABLE 4 Average soft wheat quality data for XW14A compared with one ormore other varieties, during the period 2012-2015. Break Lactic FlourFlour Flour Acid Sucrose Yield Yield Protein SRC SRC Variety % % % % %2012-15 XW14A 72.8 35.2 7.7 83.9 83.7 25R47 71.0 44.3 6.6 90.7 84.9Years 4 4 4 4 2 Reps. 4 4 4 4 2 Prob. 0.1112 0.0080 0.0327 0.0687 0.44902013-14 XW14A 71.4 33.2 7.5 91.1 88.3 25R32 69.7 29.5 7.7 104.3 93.8Years 2 2 2 2 1 Reps. 2 2 2 2 1 Prob. 0.1272 0.1541 0.2317 0.14602013-15 XW14A 72.3 34.0 7.6 88.4 88.3 25R39 68.1 37.3 7.3 98.7 96.2Years 3 3 3 3 1 Reps. 3 3 3 3 1 Prob. 0.0282 0.0038 0.3171 0.0223 LacticAcid SRC = Lactic Acid Solvent Retention Capacity Sucrose SRC = Sucrosesolution Retention Capacity

Example 14: Variety Specific Information for Wheat Variety XW14A

Common traits and a description of how the traits provided in thisexample are scored are provided in Table 1 above.

Table 5 lists the variety specific information for wheat variety XW14A.All colors are defined using Munsell Color Charts for Plant Tissues.

TABLE 5 VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION XW14A 1. KIND: 1 (1 = Common, 2= Durum, 3 = Club, 4 = Other) 2. VERNALIZATION: 2 (1 = Spring, 2 =Winter, 3 = Other) 3. COLEOPTILE ANTHOCYANIN: 2 (1 = Absent, 2 =Present) 4. JUVENILE PLANT GROWTH: 2 (1 = Prostrate, 2 = Semi- erect, 3= Erect) 5. PLANT COLOR (boot stage): 2 (1 = Yellow-Green, 2 = Green, 3= Blue-Green) 6. FLAG LEAF (boot stage): 1 (1 = Erect, 2 = Recurved)FLAG LEAF (boot stage): 2 (1 = Not Twisted, 2 = Twisted) FLAG LEAF (bootstage): 2 (1 = Wax Absent, 2 = Wax Present) 7. EAR EMERGENCE: 143 =Number of Days after Jan. 1 and   1 Day later than 25R39 8. ANTHERCOLOR: 1 (1 = Yellow, 2 = Purple) 9. PLANT HEIGHT (from soil to top ofhead, excluding awns):   86 cm (Average) 5 cm Shorter Than 25R39 10.STEM:  A. ANTHOCYANIN: 2 (1 = Absent, 2 = Present)  B. WAXY BLOOM: 2 (1= Absent, 2 = Present)  C. HAIRINESS (last internode of rachis): 2 (1 =Absent,   2 = Present)  D. INTERNODE: 1 (1 = Hollow, 2 = Semi-solid, 3 =Solid)  E. PEDUNCLE: 3 (1 = Erect, 2 = Recurved, 3 = Semi-erect)  F.AURICLE   Anthocyanin: 2 (1 = Absent, 2 = Present)   Hair: 2 (1 =Absent, 2 = Present) 11. HEAD (at maturity)  A. DENSITY: 2 (1 = Lax, 2 =Middense, 3 = Dense)  B. SHAPE: 1 (1 = Tapering, 2 = Strap, 3 = Clavate,4 = Other)  C. CURVATURE: 3 (1 = Erect, 2 = Inclined, 3 = Recurved)  D.AWNEDNESS: 2 (1 = Awnless, 2 = Apically Awnletted,   3 = Awnletted 4 =Awned) 12. GLUMES (at Maturity):  A. COLOR: 2 (1 = White, 2 = Tan, 3 =Other)  B. SHOULDER: 2 (1 = Wanting, 2 = Oblique, 3 = Rounded,   4 =Square, 5 = Elevated, 6 = Apiculate)  C. SHOULDER WIDTH: 2 (1 = Narrow,2 = Medium, 3 =   Wide)  D. BEAK: 1(1 = Obtuse, 2 = Acute, 3 =Acuminate)  E. BEAK WIDTH: 2 (1 = Narrow, 2 = Medium, 3 = Wide)  F.GLUME LENGTH: 1 (1 = Short (ca. 7 mm), 2 = Medium   (ca. 8 mm), 3 = Long(ca.9 mm))  G. GLUME WIDTH: 2 (1 = Narrow (ca.3 mm), 2 = Medium  (ca.3.5 mm), 3 = Wide (ca.4 mm)  H. PUBESCENCE: 1 (1 = Not Present 2 =Present) 13. SEED:  A. SHAPE: 2 (1 = Ovate, 2 = Oval, 3 = Elliptical) B. CHEEK: 1 (1 = Rounded, 2 = Angular)  C. BRUSH : 2 (1 = Short, 2 =Medium, 3 = Long)   BRUSH: 1 (1 = Not Collared, 2 = Collared)  D.CREASE: 1 (1 = Width 60% or less of Kernel, 2 = Width   80% or less ofKernel, 3 = Width Nearly as Wide as Kernel)   CREASE: 1 (1 = Depth 20%or less of Kernel, 2 = Depth   35%, or less of Kernel, 3 = Depth 50% orless of Kernel)  E. COLOR: 3 (1 = White, 2 = Amber, 3 = Red, 4 = Other) F. TEXTURE: 2 (1 = Hard, 2 = Soft, 3 = Other)  G. PHENOL REACTION: 5 (1= Ivory, 2 = Fawn, 3 = Light   Brown, 4 = Dark Brown 5 = Black)  H. SEEDWEIGHT: 36 g/1000 Seed  I. GERM SIZE: 2 (1 = Small, 2 = Midsize, 3 =Large) 14. DISEASE: (0 = Not tested, 1 = Susceptible, 2 = Resistant,   3 = Intermediate, 4 = Tolerant)  SPECIFIC RACE OR STRAIN TESTED  Stem Rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) 0   Leaf Rust (Pucciniarecondita f. sp. tritici) 3   Stripe Rust (Puccinia striiformis) 2  Loose Smut (Ustilago tritici) 0   Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe graminis f.sp. tritici) 2   Common Bunt (Tilletia tritici or T. laevis) 0   DwarfBunt (Tilletia controversa) 0   Karnal Bunt (Tilletia indica) 0   FlagSmut (Urocystis agropyri) 0   Tan Spot (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) 3  Halo Spot (Selenophoma donacis) 0   Septoria spp. 0   Septoria nodorum(Glume Blotch) 3   Septoria avenae (Speckled Leaf Disease) 0   Septoriatritici (Speckled Leaf Blotch) 3   Scab (Fusarium spp.) 2   “Snow Molds”0   Kernel Smudge (“Black Point”) 0   Common Root Rot (Fusarium,Cochliobolus and Bipolaris   spp.) 0   Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV)0   Rhizoctonia Root Rot (Rhizoctonia solani) 0   Soilborne Mosaic Virus(SBMV) 2   Black Chaff (Xanthomonas campestris pv. translucens). 0  Wheat Yellow (Spindle Streak) Mosaic Virus 0   Bacterial Leaf Blight(Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae) 0   Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus (WSMV)0 15. INSECT: (0 = Not tested, 1 = Susceptible, 2 = Resistant, 3 =Intermediate, 4 = Tolerant)   Stem Sawfly (Cephus spp.) 0   Cereal LeafBeetle (Oulema melanopa) 0   Russian Aphid (Diuraphis noxia) 0  Greenbug (Schizaphis graminum) (General) 0   Aphids (Specify) 0  Hessian Fly (Mayetiola destructor) Biotype L 2   Hessian Fly(Mayetiola destructor) Field 2

Example 15: Breeding History, Properties and Adaptation of Wheat VarietyXW14A

Wheat variety XW14A is a common, soft red winter wheat (Triticumaestivum L.) Variety XW14A demonstrates excellent yield potential andtest weight, excellent stripe rust resistance, very good Fusarium headblight resistance and powdery mildew resistance, and good resistance tofungal leaf blight, leaf rust and soil borne mosaic virus. Variety XW14Ahas medium-late maturity relative to other varieties in the primaryregion of adaptation. It has shown adaptation to the northern soft wheatregions based on tests conducted in Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia,Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, NorthCarolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and Ontario, Canada.

Wheat variety XW14A was developed by from a cross between threehomozygous lines W960937F1, 25R47 and W990479G1. Wheat variety XW14A,being substantially homozygous, can be reproduced by planting seeds ofthe line, growing the resulting wheat plants under self-pollinating orsib-pollinating conditions, and harvesting the resulting seed, usingtechniques familiar to the agricultural arts. The breeding history ofXW14A is described below in Table 6.

TABLE 6 Breeding History of wheat variety XW14A Gener- Year ation 2004Final Final cross made in greenhouse cross 2005 F1  F1 transplanted intofield nursery 2006 F2  F2 bulk population grown in two locations 2007F3  F3 headrows from F2 plant selections grown in two locations 2008 F4 F4 bulk from selected F3 headrows grown in two locations 2009 F5  F5bulk from selected F4 bulk grown at two locations 2010 F6  F6 headrowsfrom F5 plant selections grown at two locations 2011 F7  F7 preliminaryyield testing 2012 F8  F8 advanced yield testing and isolated bulkincrease 2013 F9  F9 elite yield testing and headrow purification/increase 2014 F10 F10 elite yield testing and progeny plotpurification/increase 2015 F11 F11 precommercial yield test and parentseed increase

Variety XW14A was bred and selected using a modified pedigree selectionmethod for any and all of the following characteristics in the fieldenvironment: disease resistance, plant type, plant height, head type,straw strength, maturity, grain yield, test weight, and milling andbaking characteristics.

XW14A has shown no variants other than what would normally be expecteddue to environment.

DEPOSIT

Applicant has made a deposit of at least 2500 seeds of wheat varietyXW14A with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 UniversityBoulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110 USA, as ATCC Deposit No. PTA-124521. Theseeds deposited with the ATCC on Oct. 9, 2017 were from the seed stockmaintained by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., 7250 NW 62^(nd)Avenue, Johnston, Iowa, 50131 since prior to the filing date of thisapplication. Access to this seed will be available during the pendencyof the application to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks andpersons determined by the Commissioner to be entitled thereto uponrequest. Upon allowance of any claims in the application, the Applicantwill make the deposit available to the public pursuant to 37 C.F.R.§1.808. This deposit of the Wheat Variety XW14A will be maintained inthe ATCC depository, which is a public depository, for a period of 30years, or 5 years after the most recent request, or for the enforceablelife of the patent, whichever is longer, and will be replaced if itbecomes nonviable during that period. Additionally, Applicant has orwill satisfy all of the requirements of 37 C.F.R. §§1.801-1.809,including providing an indication of the viability of the sample upondeposit. Applicant has no authority to waive any restrictions imposed bylaw on the transfer of biological material or its transportation incommerce. Applicant does not waive any infringement of rights grantedunder this patent or under the Plant Variety Protection Act (7 USC 2321et seq.). Unauthorized seed multiplication is prohibited.

What is claimed is:
 1. A plant, plant part, seed, or plant cell of wheatvariety XW14A, representative seed of said variety having been depositedunder ATCC accession number PTA-124521.
 2. A wheat seed produced from(i) selfing the plant or plant part of claim 1 or (ii) crossing of theplant or plant part of claim 1 with a different wheat plant or plantpart.
 3. A wheat plant or plant part produced by growing the wheat seedof claim
 2. 4. The wheat seed of claim 2, wherein the seed is an F1hybrid wheat seed.
 5. A method for producing a progeny seed, the methodcomprising crossing the wheat plant of claim 3, to a plant of wheatvariety XW14A, representative seed of said variety having been depositedunder ATCC accession number PTA-124521 and producing a progeny seed. 6.The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises crossing aplant grown from the progeny seed to a plant of wheat variety XW14A andproducing a backcrossed seed.
 7. The backcrossed seed produced by themethod of claim
 6. 8. A method for producing a second wheat plant, themethod comprising applying plant breeding techniques to the wheat plantor plant part of claim 3, wherein application of said techniques resultsin the production of a second wheat plant.
 9. A method for producing asecond wheat plant, the method comprising doubling haploid seedgenerated from a cross of the wheat plant or plant part of claim 3 witha different wheat plant.
 10. A method comprising cleaning the seed ofclaim
 1. 11. The seed of claim 1, further comprising a seed treatment onthe surface of the seed.
 12. A method for producing nucleic acids, themethod comprising isolating nucleic acids from the plant, plant part,seed, or plant cell of claim
 1. 13. A wheat plant produced byintroducing a locus conversion into wheat variety XW14A, wherein thelocus conversion was introduced by backcrossing or genetictransformation into wheat variety XW14A and wherein a sample of wheatvariety XW14A has been deposited under ATCC Accession No. PTA-124521.14. The wheat plant of claim 13, wherein the locus conversion comprisesa transgene.
 15. A plant, plant part, seed, or plant cell of wheatvariety XW14A, representative seed of said variety having been depositedunder ATCC accession number PTA-124521, further comprising a locusconversion.
 16. The plant, plant part, seed, or plant cell of claim 15,wherein the locus conversion confers a trait selected from the groupconsisting of male sterility, abiotic stress tolerance, alteredphosphate content, altered protein, altered antioxidants, altered fattyacids, altered essential amino acids, altered carbohydrates, herbicideresistance, insect resistance and disease resistance, wherein thealtered trait is compared with a similar plant not comprising the locusconversion.
 17. A tissue culture produced from the plant, plant part,seed, or plant cell of claim
 15. 18. A wheat seed produced by crossingthe plant of claim 15 with a different wheat plant.
 19. A wheat plantproduced by growing the wheat seed of claim
 18. 20. A method forproducing a second wheat plant comprising applying plant breedingtechniques to the wheat plant of claim 19, wherein application of saidtechniques results in the production of a second wheat plant.